Olivee william ketchum



(No Model.)

' 0. W. KETGH-UM.

BUTTON FASTENER'. ,No. 305,456. Patented Sept. 23-, 1884.

NITED STATES Frrcn.

OLIVER WILLIAM KETGHUllI, OF TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA.

BUTTON-FASTENER.

QPECIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 305,456, dated September 23, 1884.

Application filed January 11, 1884. (No model.)

To etZl whom, it may concern Be it known that I, OLIVER WILLIAM KETOHUM, of the city of Toronto, in the county of York, in the Province of Ontario, Ganada, inventor, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Button-Fasteners; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

The object of the invention is to devise a secure fastening for attaching buttons onto garments; and it consists in the peculiar com-- binations and construction and arrangement of parts, hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

Figure l is an enlarged perspective View of my peculiarly-shaped staple when arranged to be permanently fixed to the button. Fig. 2 is a view of the staple fixed to a button. Figs. 3, 4, and 5 show different formsof plate around which the prongs of the staple are clinched.

There are two requisites for a successful button-fastenen first, that it shall be easily applied; and secondly, that the button, when fastened with it, cannot be readily detached.

O11 reference to Figs. 1 and 2 the peculiar formation of my improved staple will be understood. It will be noticed that one side of each prong is tapered toward the point, so as to sharpen the point, and in doing so leave the sides of the prongs which pass each other beveled, so that one prong will not come in contact with the other, but when clinching the prongs will slide past each other. When it is desired tofix the staple to the button, as shown in Fig. 2, the head of the staple exhibited in Fig. l is inserted into a hole made in the button, as indicated in Fig. 2. The head of the staple, which I mark a, is curved upwardly, as indicated in Fig. 1. When forced into the hole in the button A, the inside of the head of the staple has either a blow or pressure directed against it, which blow or pressure has a tendency to strain the curved back of the head, and in doing which the edges of the head are forced against the sides of the hole in the button, thereby jamming the staple securely in position.

plate preventing the prongs of the staple from pulling through the cloth. Either of the forms of plate will answer the purpose.

Fig. 5 shows a plate in which the ends of the prong will be hidden from view. Figs. 3

and 4 show a plate in which the ends of the prongs will be exposed when clinched. The only difierence between the plates shown in Figs. 3 and 5 is that the clinching-plate proper, which I mark d, has a cap, 6, fitted over it, a sufficient space being left between the inside of the cap and the clinching-plate to permit the ends of the prongs to pass between the two. The plate d (shown in Fig. 4) is oval in shape, having two holes made in it to permit the passage of the staples prongs, the piece between the holes forming a bridge over which the prongs are clinched.

What I claim as my invention is 1. \As an improved button fastener, a staple having prongs intapered, as described, and a curved head, a, in combination with a button having a hole in it constructed to receive and retain the said fastener in place by straightening its head, whereby its edges are caused to bind firmly against the'sides of said hole, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. As an improved button-fastener, a staple having prongs b, tapered, as described, and a curved head, a, in combination with a button having a hole in it constructed to receive and retain the said fastener in place by straightening its head, whereby its edges are caused to bind firmly against the sides of said hole, and a clinch-plate, (I, having a cap, 0, fitting over it, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

Toronto, January 3, 1884.

CHARLES C. BALDWIN, W; I. GRAHAM. 

